(507) 344-8888

Minneapolis Brain Injury Lawyer

Brain injuries are among the most common causes of disability and death in adults around the world. They can occur in almost any type of accident – a car crash, slip and fall, sports impact, defective product, or workplace incident. Any circumstance where the head comes into contact with another object can lead to a brain injury. Brain injuries can cause confusion, dizziness, nausea, loss of memory, cognitive difficulties, and loss of motor function. Sometimes symptoms can be permanent. If you or someone you know recently sustained a brain injury, come to Knutson + Casey for an experience personal injury lawyer in Minneapolis, MN.

Common Brain Injuries in Minneapolis

The brain is responsible for communicating messages throughout your body. It is how you can move, talk, eat, breathe, and think. When the brain sustains an injury, it can significantly impact your abilities and quality of life. A patient’s prognosis with a brain injury will depend on the type and severity of the damage. No two brain injuries are alike due to the complex nature of this organ. There are two main types of brain injuries:

  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI stems from an external force impacting the brain. Types of TBIs include concussions, contusions, penetrations, and diffuse axonal injuries (i.e., shaken baby syndrome). TBIs can be open or closed. An open head injury means the skull has also sustained injury, like a fracture or puncture. Acts of violence are the most common cause of traumatic open head injuries.
  • Acquired brain injury (ABI). These brain injuries don’t stem from external force – rather, they come from issues such as loss of oxygen to the brain. Strangulation and accidental drowning can cause ABIs, as can problems during birth. Anesthesia or intubation errors during surgery can also result in ABIs from oxygen deprivation. ABIs often cause permanent injury to the victim.

Negligence can cause both TBIs and ABIs. A distracted driver can strike a pedestrian and cause a traumatic brain injury. Similarly, an incompetent doctor can fail to order an emergency cesarean section during delivery, leading to an ABI from umbilical cord prolapse in the infant. While not all brain injuries result from someone else’s negligence, many do. If you believe someone is to blame for your or a loved one’s brain injury, contact an attorney right away.

What to Do After a Brain Injury Accident

Brain injuries are sometimes called the silent epidemic – they take lives often without the victim ever realizing he or she had a brain injury. Brain injuries may not exhibit symptoms right away, or at all. However, the brain can be bleeding, swelling, or suffering in some other way without the victim noticing. Therefore, it’s important to visit a doctor immediately following any accident where you hit your head. Even if you feel fine, you may have a hidden brain injury. Only medical tests and scans can properly diagnose a TBI or ABI before it’s too late.

Even with prompt medical attention, a brain injury can cause temporary or permanent disability. You may lose your capacity to earn, or you may have to stay in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. The best thing you can do for yourself after such a serious injury is to retain an attorney. Compensation can include payment for your past and future medical bills, medical equipment and devices, home or vehicle modifications, mental anguish, and pain and suffering.

At Knutson + Casey, we know a lawsuit won’t take back the damages a brain injury has caused. It can, however, significantly help accident victims in their journeys to move past such a serious injury. To speak with an attorney about your potential case in Minnesota, call (507) 344-8888 or contact us online.